The King of the Jungle
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)
Other than zoos, I have not seen any big cats except bobcats. When I was younger, a friend of mine had two pet bobcats they brought up from South Carolina. To me, those two spotted, bobtailed felines were just like any other lap cat until they would let loose at night. Blood curdling! Ellen Fannon (All God’s Creatures) explains why a lion is king of the jungle.
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The Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jacksonville, Florida, provides a permanent home to endangered big cats. Among their exotic rescues are lions, tigers, cougars, bobcats, and servals, as well as non-feline residents. Each animal has its history displayed for visitors to read and learn more about its situation. Walking through the sanctuary brings visitors up close to the magnificent cats, and staff are always ready to share information.
I particularly loved the lions and tigers. But a thought struck me as I viewed these creatures. Why is the lion considered the king of the jungle when the tiger is larger and stronger? I learned that the reason is lions are more sociable cats, whereas tigers are not. Unlike the rest of its race, the lion lives in groups. Survival depends on getting along, working, and cooperating with one another. But tigers, being solitary animals, generally do not work in teams. To be successful, they must constantly fight and hunt alone.
This powerful example demonstrates how much stronger Christians are and how much more we can accomplish when we live and work as a united group. God created humans to dwell in communities. Surrounding ourselves with fellow believers encourages and strengthens us and gives us boldness to live out our faith. God never called Christians to be loners. Yet, with the advent of modern technology, many Christians are doing just that. Sitting at home watching a live-streamed, prerecorded, or televised church service is a blessing to those who are physically unable to attend church in person. For me, though, nothing can take the place of communal worship, fellowship, and exhortation of other Christians. Simply being in the presence of God’s people lifts my spirits and helps me realize I am not fighting life’s battles alone. After all, Christians are lions, not tigers.
United we stand. Divided we fall. —John Dickinson
Loving Lord, thank You for using nature to give us more insight into ourselves. Help us to remain teachable and open to Your lessons. AMEN.